" KEELAH SE'LAI": EMBODYING MINDFUL GAMING WITHIN THE MASS EFFECT WORLD
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“KEELAH SE’LAI”: EMBODYING MINDFUL GAMING
WITHIN THE MASS EFFECT WORLD
by Allison Clark Body Studies, vol. 1, no. 5 (2019): 61-69
Abstract:
Video games have begun to offer more to their the surprising interplay of virtual causes and body-
fan base and active players than escapism. Within anchored effects, individual choices and social mores,
role-playing formats, they provide in depth stories, as well as figurative and literal departures with returns.
and simulations of real world issues that force their
players to confront their own comfort levels and hold “After time adrift among open stars, among tides of light
a mirror to their inner selves. The ideas of growth and to shoals of dust, I will return to where I began” (Mass
and fixed mindsets, martial arts of awareness, and Effect 2). So states Tali Zhorah Vas Normandy, an integral
mindfulness training have begun to have more in character to the massively interactive and vastly immersive
common with gendered role-playing-game choices Mass Effect video game series, at the beginning of the
than one might originally assume; and it’s these actions player’s journey and personal storyline. The player, as the
that have been the catalyst for a re-conception of protagonist Commander Shepard, must escort Tali back
the power and potential of the gaming experience. to the migrant fleet of her species, the Quarians, and in
This reflective essay offers a closer look at one deeply order to pass through the front lines of the fleet without
prayerful and powerful gaming world to explore being shot down, she must respond with that line as a
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61password. Tali, in this moment, is returning to where she (or at least ‘step back’ to gain some perspective), even as
began, after spending her days lost among the vast catalogs they meet them head on.
of planets and stars, and so must the player when logging
out of their final run through the Mass Effect universe. As Immersive video games, also allow the player to step back
only one line, among many, that forces the player to think, from the reality of the challenges they face every day.
to really feel the world they are exploring through the Through these games, the player views matters of life
controls of a gaming console, this one stands out as the and death or the end of the world through the framework
most comprehensive to the experience of the meditative, of a game where one can learn from their mistakes by being
and rejuvenating, qualities of video games. ‘reborn’ after death to try again and again. This learning
practice, this ‘arm’s length’ re-embodiment allows the
Gaming has long been the symbol of the ‘lazy’ generation. player to view more than just their singular reality and
It has been the hallmark of assumptions about the ‘troubled experience, rather, a multi-dimensional reality. Much like
teen’ – the kid who played too much Grand Theft Auto the decisions they make in their gaming world affect their
was the kid who would enact violence without a second playthrough, so too do the decisions they make in the real
thought. The child who grew up watching their parents world affect their life. The way the gamer begins to see
become consumed by social media and games was the themselves within the game allows for a consciousness of
child who would be neglected and turn to violence as a self that may well seep into their real-world understand-
method of gaining the attention they desperately sought. ing of self. Gaming might, in this sense, endorse a con-
For many within the modern world of consumer media, a scious and perpetually informative self-care – a method
distinction has arisen between ‘the good video game’ and of reflection on (and of) self that allows for a virtual world
‘the bad video game.’ Good games are those that teach to have body-anchored effects on the way gamers see
the child something through puzzles and not simply kill- themselves and act mindfully in the world around them.
ing – PacMan, Starfleet, or Mario Kart. These are all games Gaming is a purposeful act of self-improvement, a new
that don’t require the player to immerse themselves fully movement toward mindful growth that allows for explora-
into the game, to lose hours upon hours of their free tion of consequences and awareness.
time puzzling their way through, what ultimately can be
described as a shooter game. These are the bad games The single player, open-world, roleplaying game trilogy
– games that require the protagonist to walk through an Mass Effect best exemplifies this idea of gaming as a
unfamiliar territory with a gun and to shoot to kill to pro- conscious practice – one that develops mindfulness or
tect themselves. What is lost however in the naming of awareness of ones own awareness – through its dedication
these games as ‘bad’ is the lessons that are learned both to guiding the player to confront difficult decisions that
internally (what the player recognizes about themselves) will affect their gameplay in the future head-on, while still
and externally (how the player goes about relating to allowing the player a ‘space’ in which to relax, a respite
the world), through the immersive experience of these amidst the pressures and delusions of the ‘real world.’ As
games. Beyond such dichotomous labeling or biased bina- Tali Zhorah states, it is only through journeys away, only
ries, exists another way to examine the physical-mental after journeys through space and stars and the voidless,
connections present in the process of gaming. Gaming universe that a return to where life began is possible. Only
can instead be viewed as a way for a modern generation to by venturing away can home truly become home.
center themselves, to find the balance within their bodies
and minds that allows them to relate to the world around The question becomes, then, where does one find the
them in a more positive way. Gaming, viewed through this stars to escape to? Where, within the reality of daily life,
lens, may be understood as a mindfulness practice that within the routine of waking up to go to work, to go to
allows the player to escape from the problems they face class, to come home, to go to bed, only to begin it all over
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62again, does one find the means to be – to live. Many turn In order to showcase its relevance to understanding Mass
to compartmentalization, turn to placing one part of their Effect, I will first sketch a bit about the art itself.
life in a certain area of their mental musings while leaving
the rest in another. They seek to separate the things that The true key of the Zhong Xin Dao / I Liq Chuan study lies
give them joy from the things that allow them to maintain within recognizing the difference: understanding one’s
a daily life. This is a separation of the body from the mind, center reference (both physical and mental) and being
a separation of the full being from the world around them. aware of when one is off it – and how to come back to that
It can be argued that the person who does this, is seeing space. Awareness is simply knowing and being with and in
the routine parts of their life as a challenge they cannot the moment. By being aware of the room one can see all
overcome, as a block to the happier dimensions of their that is happening within the room, whereas by focusing on
life. Many fix themselves to a belief that their ‘regular’ life the separate components – such as only seeing the walls
cannot be enjoyable, is not sufficient, and so they must and the floor and labeling them as that – obscures the
find that happiness elsewhere. In such divided mental bigger, complete picture. As Master Sam F.S. Chin states
constructs there seems to be no median, no middle. How in his book I Liq Chuan: Martial Art of Awareness, “The
then can they find the neutral? How might modern awareness developed reveals the nature of everything”
generations deal with this existential dilemma? (Chin, 8). Zhong Xin Dao embodies a philosophy that takes
hold of all walks of one’s life. The practice does not stop as
People have explored the concept of happiness and the practice doors are closed; it moves into the ride home
contentment through a myriad of lenses – and wisdom and the next day. As Chin states later, “Mindfulness is the
traditions around the world have offered paths toward cause, and awareness is the effect” (Chin, 11).
mindful study to make sense of the human condition, our
sufferings, the illusions and delusions we confront. They Master Sam Chin defines unification as consciousness.
have proffered that to study mindfulness is to devote the Stepping back from the focus and the distractions of
self to a lifelong art, a dedication to (a commitment) to everyday life that keep one from truly seeing what is al-
a process that may never end – indeed that the student ready there allows one to unify with the conditions: to
should never want to end, for it is in the process that true maintain a reference, a stillness point, even amidst the
wisdom is achieved. Of the many paths available for scru- changing nature of things. Put differently, unifying the
tiny, this reflection brings in an innovative practice: one mental is to bring various extremes – also known as the
that revolves around an integrated mind-body art spe- Yin and the Yan – to balance by recognizing the neutral
cifically, the martial art of I Liq Chuan: The Martial Art of point that both separates and unifies complementaries.
Awareness and its approach to learning known as Zhong Recognizing the neutral point from a physical standpoint
Xin Dao – the neutral center pathway. Describing itself as allows for the martial arts practitioner to realize the re-
“an art of cultivating consciousness based on Tai Chi and laxation needed within the mind to discover where the
Chan (Zen) principles of non-assertion, nonresistance, opponent’s force is coming from. “Relaxation,” Master
harmony of yin and yang, oneness and the present mo- Chin explains, “is an essential component of the art. Re-
ment,” I Liq Chuan is an integrative and interdisciplinary laxation contains harmony of yin and yang and the pro-
study of the mind and the body working as one to pro- cess of looseness, softness, elasticity, and fa-jing [issuing
mote in the practitioner a truly centered existence (Chin, power]” (Chin, 12). Mental clarity – and knowing how to
8). The act of mindfulness, trained through attention on return to the center as a reference point or ‘home base’ is
the mental-physical dimensions, is at the heart of this art: where unifying the physical comes into play. As the mind
the ability to see all without actively seeking to see. This calms enough to recognize it is unified and relaxed, the
viewpoint can be applied in fresh and informative ways body can relax with the force field of gravity as well and
to all aspects of life, including the experience of gaming. the two play off each other. If one is busy with thoughts of
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63judging and compartmentalizing, one is never truly see- that. The alternative, as Dweck seeks to show, lies in the
ing the world as what it is; nature itself. In such cases all shift from the dangerous and damning fixed mindset to
one see’s is a narrow pattern or scripted viewpoint that the freeing and uplifting growth mindset – akin, in some
seems as if it has always been there – there is no shift rec- ways, to the Taoist and Zen philosophies of constant
ognized, no change perceived. The viewpoint is fixed. change – and our abilities to ‘change with those changes,’
as Master Chin phrases the process.
Where does such a mentality come from? Why do so
many human beings hold the idea that they can only be Many of the examples in Dweck’s Mindset revolves around
happy if their lives are apportioned with the things that the shifting of academic focus from fixed to growth, but it
make them happy on one side of the fence, and the things can be argued that shifting from the former to the latter
that they require to live on the other? One answer, ac- in every aspect of life can only lead to a healthier or more
cording to renowned psychologist Dr. Carol S. Dweck adaptable life. As she states:
lies within the fixed mindset we have grown up with and
embraced as the only way to live. As Dweck states in her If, like those with the growth mindset, you believe
introduction to Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, “… you can develop yourself, then you’re open to accu-
these may be beliefs we’re unaware of, but they strongly rate information about your current abilities, even if
affect what we want and whether we succeed in getting its unflattering. What’s more, if you’re oriented to-
it. This tradition also shows how changing people’s be- wards learning, as they are, you need accurate infor-
liefs – even the simplest beliefs – can have profound ef- mation about your current abilities in order to learn
fects” (Dweck). From the earliest moments of existence, effectively (Dweck).
human beings are aculturated with beliefs, customs, and
traditions. They are a product of environment, a product To open oneself to failure as an option, as a learning tool,
of past reference, that are part of a worldview that may is to open oneself to a more intimate knowledge of the
seem as if it has always been as it is and will always be and self as a whole – self-cultivation. When a person is fully
thus stand as unquestioned beliefs. Until, that is, they aware of their shortcomings alongside their strong abil-
are questioned. ities they may be said to be centered within themselves,
aware of the complementary components of – mind and
What makes a fixed mindset so dangerous is its insidious body. They are able to observe or see who they are – in
ability to influence perceptions as Dweck explains, that varied and changing moments – and rather than getting
all “human qualities [are] carved in stone. You were smart ‘stuck’ they embrace the yin and yang within themselves
or you weren’t, and failure meant you weren’t” (Dweck). to discover the neutral. Through the martial art of aware-
For those operating in this fixed mindset, attempting ness meditation, and simply living with a growth mindset
something without the reassurance of almost immediate as best as they can, people have found ways to live, not
success is to learn that one is not smart enough, not good with blinders on, but with a deepened awareness of the
enough. A balanced life, as conceived by some who hold world around them that allows them to be truly present –
this rather generic definition, becomes the epitome of to see the world as it is and be content.
success. “Balance” here is a business woman who can play
in her own time and run her strong business during work It is against this backdrop – of mindfulness, of physical
time. This balancing act, done well, may earn the praise and mental equanimity – that I now turn to examine gam-
of some for being professional and accomplished. Within ing – and to do so with a growth mindset: one open to seeing
a fixed mindset, these goals are already laid out before video game playing not an escape, but as a way to exist, to
each and every person. They are either smart and profes- be in the moment and feel completely and fully the world
sional or not; there is nothing that can be done to change – the pathway that Zhong Xin Dao exemplifies and the
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64practice of I Liq Chuan helps to manifest. Through the achievement of this type of balancing through becom-
lens of a positive growth mindset, individual role-playing ing aware of the difference between service and help,
games (rpgs) are seen as a tool: teaching how to connect between being an aide and fixing. “Helping,” she writes,
to self, first, and by extension how to cultivate a relational “is based on inequality; it is not a relationship between
approach: or a mindful awareness of others. equals. When you help you use your own strength to help
those of lesser strength” (Remen, 1). Helping is typically
As the video game world has expanded, as more and assumed to be selfless and kind, something that is only
more games have been released that can be defined as done by those who put others first, who care first. So the
single player rpgs, the more the demand for them in- same with fixing – something is wrong and it is made bet-
creased. Rather than saturating the market with a prod- ter through the help of others. Placing the connotation
uct that was undesirable, video game companies creat- of debt or brokenness on helping or fixing is to see them
ed a demand for a game that had become more than a through the lens of a growth mindset. Both assume that
fun diversion for people. Single player rpgs became life something needs to be changed for the better based on
changing necessities to daily life. Bioware’s Mass Effect our own personal views. However, the fixed mindset see’s
trilogy is one such of these games – a game that more another’s way of doing things that is different from what
purely represents the ideals outlined above than any other. is known and judges it as wrong, as something to be fixed
With a bent towards player customization that allows or helped. A growth mindset sees it simply as a new way
the player to pour their heart and soul into their protag- of functioning and serving within that mindset – allowing
onist, Commander Shepard, the choices made within the the body and mind to grow and adapt while serving another.
game become more than simply choice without conse-
quences. Mass Effect focuses on long term consequenc- As Remen writes, “… helping is an experience of strength,
es of actions taken, words spoken, and decisions made. fixing is an experience of mastery and expertise. Service
Choosing not to speak to a character in Mass Effect 1, on the other hand is an experience of mystery, surren-
choosing to kill rather than save a sideline alien species, der, and awe” (Remen, 1). When this is all seen through
all have grave consequences in the third game when the that lens the concept of helping and fixing, while not in-
fate of the galaxy rests in the player through Shepard’s herently bad things becomes very different. Approached
hands. Indeed, the customization goes so far as to allow through this lens, service is a way of connecting not only
the player to define their Shepard as a moral paragon or to the truest form of the being we are attempting to aide,
renegade – through conversation options that arise their but also as a way of connecting to the unity of the uni-
Shepard can become a heroic example of moral kindness verse. Service is selfless and whole – it’s a way of ensuring
or a ruthless commander that will accomplish the mission we are seeing the fullest form of the being we are helping.
at hand at any cost; both of which have consequence that
the player must be aware of as they choose. Viewed thus, Throughout the Mass Effect series, the gamer plays as
Mass Effect is an exercise in awareness, in mindfulness, Shepard, a commander who can be described as selfless
and in cultivating a growth mindset. It can be simply used if played as paragon. A paragon Shepard will continue,
as an escape from reality, but for most players it might be throughout the game, to place others first. They see the
more aptly viewed as a way of learning how to fully and world as a place for all beings to cohabitate and refuses to
truly exist within the neutral. allow one viewpoint to skew the way she sees the world
around her. When Shepard is faced with the choice to de-
The neutral lies within an understanding of both the outside stroy the Rachni- or to save them, she sees them without
and the in, of both the body and the mind. It’s a connection the blinders of a fixed mindset. A fixed mindset would see
between the yin and yang that allows for a true peace- the Rachni for what they have been – a race of insectoid
fulness of the self. Rachel Naomi Remen writes on the aliens that sought to devour the universe centuries not
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65for what they desire to become – a new race that seeks often as a means of educating their audience in the val-
to live in harmony with the universe, singing a new song ues of diversity and multiculturalism” (Patterson, 208).
of peace and creation. Either a paragon or renegade, Through their insistence that each and every protagonist
Shepard can choose to save the Rachni, a decision that be personalized, be created in either the player’s own
exemplifies the growth mindset of the game. as well as image or the image the desire to be, the choice of Shep-
the option to play within a fixed mindset. A Shepard that ard’s background, physical makeup, and dialogue options
choose to save the Rachni, to give them a new chance, can becomes incredibly personal to the player – forcing the
be viewed to be thinking within the type of serving mod- player to make their protagonist a self-insert either by
el that Remen details. That Shepard, and consequently design or accident.
that player, sees that serving is to step outside of self to
become aware of the relationship with others first – that Where Mass Effect excels; however, is through its empha-
while helping and fixing may ultimately achieve the same sis on “…the decision-making aspect of RPGs by placing
goal, only one enables or guides the other person to live a the player on a developing and uncertain moral journey”
fuller and more mindful life. (Patterson, 211). Every choice is meaningful, no mat-
ter how small or seemingly insignificant. In fact, even
Mass Effect, with the Rachni choice, seeks to push the the players squad members – the companions that are
player to make mindful choices. If a player lives within a supposed to follow Shepard through to the apocalypse
fixed mindset, and seeks to fix and help instead of serve, in Mass Effect 3 – can choose to leave the squad if they
they will choose to exterminate the Rachni completely – a disagree too violently with Shepard’s choices. Every de-
choice that will lead to the extinction of the human race cision requires a mindful awareness of everything that is
and most of the player’s companions in the final game of going on around that choice. One cannot have blinders
the series. They see, inevitably, that the choice they made on when playing Mass Effect – something that encourages
was limited and small minded – allowing the player, in the growth mindset, not the fixed. “In Mass Effect,” Patter-
their next play through, to make a different choice and son explains, “military battles become fields of competing
see where a growth mindset leads. ethical discourses, with the side of diversity and toler-
ance reigning supreme” (Patterson, 213).
Thus the gameplay of Mass Effect becomes almost ambig-
uous – it can be used to either enforce a growth mindset Even choices made at the very beginning of the game,
from the beginning or as a means of allowing the player to the choice to play male Shepard or female Shepard, forc-
remain within their fixed mindsets to see, at an accelerat- es the player to think consciously, to be aware of the
ed rate, the consequences of those choices made within mechanics of the game and the implications of playing a
that mindset. As Christopher B. Patterson states in his soldier Shepard as male or female. From the beginning
essay “Role-Playing the Multiculturalist Umpire: Loyalty Shepard is placed into one of three backstories: 1) she is
and War in BioWare’s Mass Effect Series,” “…the game’s a spacer, a human born to parents who are a part of the
story is most often created simply to give the player in- space based military called the Alliance who has never
centive to complete levels, which must be won through been on Earth; 2) a colonist, a victim of a massive geno-
the gameplay elements. For video game scholar Ian Bo- cide enacted on a human colony on the edge of the galaxy
gost, the meanings made through the game’s dynamics who joins the Alliance for revenge; or 3) earthborn, a hu-
are not merely meaningful, but persuasive, as they can man who was born and raised on earth who lived a hard
convince the player to do or think differently” (Patterson, life of gangs and the underbelly of the earth cities before
210). The rpg game making juggernaut Bioware has been joining the Alliance for a better life. With either of these
praised “for their focus on ethical decision making that backgrounds the choice to play female is a decision that
requires players to consider complex moral situations, creates a backstory that cannot be ignored. “By choosing
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66the female Shepard (or FemShep) rather than the male through the story in the way that Mass Effect does. Part of
(or BroShep),” Patterson explains, “the player shifts the what forces the player to become utterly immersed in the
game’s attitude from one of multiculturalist umpire to- game, allowing them to use mindfulness and or become
ward one of multiracial coalition by focusing on remain- aware of exercises in ‘right mindfulness’ while playing
ing structures of patriarchal power and reproductive is that the story is fully immersive. As Jim Bizzochi and
control” (Patterson, 222). Joshua Tanenbaum assert in their article Mass Effect 2:
A Case Study in the Design of Game Narrative, “…inter-
Playing as female Shepard opens doors that are not nec- active narrative may well be the ‘holy grail’ of new media
essarily there with the male Shepard. Male Shepard’s research and development” (Bizzochi and Tanenbaum,
dialogue options are clipped and cold regardless off 394). Not only does the player create a Shepard that
his actions, whereas FemShep’s dialogue options tend works with them, or even can go so far as to be a mirror
to open more of a compassionate view. The choice to replication of them, they are following a world that is
play FemShep is the choice that exemplifies the growth steeped in tragedy, evoking the catharsis that Aristotle
mindset best, through the FemShep voice actor’s ability claims to be so integral to the mechanics of a ‘great’ story
to allow for her dialogue options to connect with other (Bizzochi and Tanenbaum, 399). As Bizzochi and Tanen-
species, rather than simply paint them in the most basic baum state at the end of their research:
understandings of who that character, and what that
species exemplifies. Consistently and throughout each By allowing players to provide expressive variations
installment, the Mass Effect trilogy forces the player to of a core and unchanging Commander Shepard, the
become aware of the choices they are making. “When designers are able to channel the pleasures of agency
played consciously, closely, and with an urge to explore and self-expression along a path that reinforces the
less trodden routes (as FemShep),” Patterson states, intended narrative rather than undermining it. The
“the series can indeed help formulate complex questions design and actions of the NPC characters in the game
about how imperialism and tolerance are intertwined” help to move the plot forward in a coherent fashion.
(Patterson, 227). The rich supporting cast also provides meaningful
narrative context for the actions of Shepard—provid-
The Mass Effect trilogy becomes, therefore, the basis for ing a wide range of emotional reactions to the events
the argument that the neutral, the quest for mindfulness, of the narrative and by deepening the details about
the art of meditation upon true awareness can be found the storyworld (Bizzochi and Tanenbaum, 410).
through a variety of means – video games being only one
upon the many that a new generation will use. Through a By creating a Shepard who is the protagonist through
focus on moral decision making, an awareness at all times three indelibly linked games, the creators of Mass Effect
of the far reaching consequences of the actions taken and have allowed a vehicle for the ultimate self-expression
decisions made, the player behind Commander Shepard through gaming, and thus, the ultimate exercise in mind-
cannot help but take the game with them when they turn ful gaming. By the third game the player is invested in
off the console due to the exemplary experiential struc- their Shepard, not only through hours of gameplay, but
turing of the game. through choices that they have made that have brought
their squad close and their universe a little bit of happiness.
It is the narrative that makes this one game stand out The player wants to see the world more wholistically and
beyond all the others in an examination of mindfulness not through a fixed mindset. They are experiencing the
within gaming. Even when BioWare has several other growth mindset, their mindfulness and service, paying off.
RPG single-player games that emphasize the effect of The player understands that their neutral, their ability to
choice and teamwork, none of them renders embodiment occupy their center, is the way to interact with changing
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67conditions as they unfold in the world of the game. Such a Home is within the body, as well as a place to live.
mindset is essential to saving the universe. Occupying ‘home’ within the body requires feeling the
neutral place that exists between the yin and yang – that
Gaming, viewed through this approach, reconsiders typical space characterize by present knowing and an aware-
mind-body dichotomies, as a way not simply to escape ness of the whole, not simply the parts. Recognizing the
from the woes of reality, not simply a place where the play- neutral, returning to the center view, requires a growth
er can become someone else and compartmentalize their mindset that allows for a kinder life – a life of service and
day, but as a tool through which to practice skills adapt- fuller acceptance of one’s abilities. Experiencing Mass Effect’s
able into other dimensions of life allowing the player to dedication to story customization, moral ambiguity, and
experience a kind of clarity based on a mindful attention to consequences that shake the very fabric of the universe,
their own attention. (Chin System Guide) As Tali Zhorah the player senses their way to these values in ways that
stated at the beginning of it all, “After time adrift among are unshakeable. After time adrift within the stars of
open stars, among tides of light and to shoals of dust, I the Mass Effect universe, after walking as Shepard does
will return to where I began” (Mass Effect 2). Through a among tides of light and shoals of dust, the player returns
journey we can truly know the meaning of home – both home to where they began as someone entirely new, a
the literal translation and the figurative one – if we first being who has changed with the changes.
recognize, realize, and know that ‘center.’
About the Author
Allison Clark is an adjunct lecturer at Cabrini University. She received her Masters in Liberal Arts from the University
of Pennsylvania. Her research interests include the intersections of the personal and the political, the virtual and
technical futures of body imagery and body relationships, and pop culture.
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Copyright © 2019 Body Studies Journal
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68WORKS CITED:
Bizzocchi, Jim and Joshua Tanenbaum. “Mass Effect 2: A Case Study in the Design of Game Narrative.”
Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society (2012): 393-404. Sage Journals. Oct. 2012. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.
Chin, Sam F.S., Master. I Liq Chuan: Martial Art of Awareness. 1st ed. Malaysia:
Chin Family I Liq Chuan Association, 2006. Print.
Chin, Sam F.S., Master. Zhong Xin Dao I Liq Chuan System Guide. 3rd ed. Mt. Kisco, NJ. 2019.
Dweck, Carol S. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Random House, 2006.
Patterson, C. B. “Role-Playing the Multiculturalist Umpire: Loyalty and War in BioWare’s Mass Effect Series.”
Games and Culture 10.3 (2014): 207-28. Sage Journals. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.
Regen, Rachel Naomi. “In the Service of Life.” Web.
Zhong Xin Dao / I Liq Chuan. https://iliqchuan.com/
NOTES
1. K
eelah Se’lai is a statement in Quarian used by the character Tali Zhorah as a sort of blessing, It means,
“By the home world I hope to see one day.” Her people were driven from their home by the AI units they
created long ago so Tali has never seen her home.
2. https://iliqchuan.com
3. Master Sam Chin is the founder of Zhong Xin Dao and the Gatekeeper, or lineage holder, of the family
art of the Chin Family. (System Guide, 3rd edition; 2019).
4. T
hough the player can choose to play as either male Shepard or female Shepard, I use the female pronouns for
Shepard throughout the course of my paper. I am more comfortable with a female Shepard for reasons that will
be explained further later in the paper. Each Shepard is very personal, as well, and in each and every one of my
play-throughs my own connection to a female Shepard has been integral to my own experience playing the game.
5. It is my own opinion that to relegate the title for MShep, as many of the fandom call him, to “BroShep,” is to
relegate the Male Shepard persona as silly, ambivalent, and thus disingenuous to the true experience of playing as
Male Shepard. While FemShep is this author’s personal preferred Shepard choice, the MShep option has its own
merits, due to the MShep’s inherent issues with stigma masculinity prescribes and with his own relationships with
the interspecies crew members. MShep is not a ‘bro,” MShep is a clipped, professional, stoic individual with a need
to prove himself beyond that of FemShep that leads to varied and interesting dialogue choices.
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